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Organized Play Member. 112 posts (130 including aliases). 1 review. No lists. No wishlists. 3 aliases.


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And I probably should have added in my last post I like the two page layout.


LMPjr007 wrote:

OK for all those who are "debating" and still thinking it over, here is some sample layout I put together to examine both sides of the argument of 1-page or 2-page monster write ups. These pages are rough drafts and have placement text in certain places just to test the layout.

Page 1 is the Single page monster write-up that is standard for Paizo

Pages 2 & 3 are the double page set up with of course more information on the monster.

So tell us what you think?

My opinion is that it is a good layout, if a bit 'Pathfinder' generic --but that might be the look you're going for. The colors are very pleasing to the eye; suitably contrasting with the artwork.

I'd consider the changing the capsules. My opinion is that the capsules are a bit 'busy', especially the 'Creator Notes' heading. Use an eyedropper tool in your favorite publishing program and pick a color from the page background; something a few shades darker than the center area of the page. Make your capsule out of that color and don't use a gradient, maybe drop a soft-ish shadow instead. Boom!

Also, I attempted tuned out most of the off-topic stuff, so I may have missed...
Did an alternate title for the book get decided?

In any case, what about Ultimate Bestiary?


I would like to cancel my subscription for the time being please. As the thread title states, I would very much like for the above order to be the last one shipped to me.

Thank you in advance and all the best :)


I was going to ask; 'Why not call it Kingmaker Online?' but having thought about it a little more, I think that this MMOG is somehow tied to the basic story behind Organized Play. At a guess, the players are Pathfinders sent to the region in order to stake a claim for their faction?

That way --if the game is successful, further regions and different goals could be introduced via expansions. That said, I don't see this game having any bearing on the existing PFS Organized Play.

...or maybe it would? Eh, I'm only guessing.


Souls for Smuggler's Shiv is a good start. It could be used almost as-is.

Racing to Ruin also strikes me as something that would fit nicely in a pirate-y campaign.

Thinking about it the entire Serpent's Skull Adventure Path makes for a nice pirate-y campaign, with a few tweaks here and there.


This one maybe:
PF Race Building Guide

Good luck.


Dave O'Brien wrote:


Oops, didn't realize that. My group still plays mostly 3.5 because were lazy and poor.

Here is the Pathfinder Reference Document.

There is also a similar one at: www.d20pfsrd.com

If anyone has not said so already: Welcome to Paizo's Messageboards :)

Andrew Gale
SAGAWORK STUDIOS


Urizen wrote:

I don't feel that DSP will have an issue about utilizing their product. I've seen previous intra-working relationships with Louis Porter Jr. using their psionics to be integrated with some of the campaign projects he's working on. And besides, it supports the spirit of the OGL. It also is the current standard bearer of psionics for those wanting to see it supported in Pathfinder.

As for skills (and further down, classes), I managed to pick James Jacobs' brain a little as to how he would synergize skills and create classes into his post-apocalyptic campaign setting he's doing in his spare time. At the least, it gives a mind-set how an employee of the company would envision things once they've gone beyond the traditional fantasy campaign setting they're supporting. Here.

Appreciate the viewpoint Urizen. And thanks for that link regarding skill and classes beyond a traditional fantasy setting.

I was thinking *in game terms* how FTL works. I'd like to just post it here, but it is tied to how certain abilities work, how spacecraft are statted, and how PCs interact with them. I will have to organize these notes into some actual game rules, and then into a release like the UM/UC playtests.

Tom_Kalbfus, could you please email me at Sagawork[dot]Studios[at]gmail.com?

Andrew Gale
SAGAWORK STUDIOS


Urizen wrote:
...figure out whether the classes are going to follow Paizo's designs or stick to the talent/basic classes/advance classes as modeled in d20 Modern...

The basis of the rules are what makes the game, so you are right in bringing that up, Urizen.

For me: I am trying to follow Paizo's designs to keep it in line with being Pathfinder. At the moment, the concept I was running with was base class variants featured in various core books and third party publishers. Along the way, I am not interested in 'fixing' existing classes to assuage those who do not like how certain classes play. That means if there are those who do not like like how some of the classes play (and forget for the moment whether classes like --say-- Druid, and Witch belong in space opera); then my space opera Pathfinder may not be for them.

I was going to talk about the synergies and dynamics of Pathfinder's existing classes and how it relates to space-opera, but I think people get that already. Healing is one of those important synergies and needs to be handled carefully. Here are some of my thoughts:

  • The Heal skill needs to be indicative of a high(er) knowledge and better technology. As such, it will do more.
  • I am trying to avoid mundane classes like 'Doctor' and 'Medic' for two reasons: 1. Neither class is Pathfinder Superstar material. 2. Having a class whose main job it is to heal is a step back from being Pathfinder.
  • I have two classes earmarked as the cleric's replacement; one psi-related and the other more conventional. Neither is religious based.

    Currently, there are about 15 classes on my shortlist, as well as the ethical dilemma of perhaps including around 60%+ of the OGL material in Psionics Unleashed if people want to use psionics (especially for the psi-related cleric replacement). Such a move will dictate the price of the final product, at the very least: I cannot steal Dreamscarred's profits or their baby from beneath them. I messaged Jeremy Smith about it, and am waiting to hear back.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


  • Sagawork Studios wrote:
    One of the key aspects I am working toward was for the time-poor GM: She should be able to take the Starfinder book in one hand, any Pathfinder Adventure Module or Adventure Path in the other and do a conversion for a space opera game relatively easily.

    As an example:

    "Savage Tide in Space."


    Kryzbyn wrote:
    Tom_Kalbfus wrote:
    stuff

    Interesting.

    1) The presence of demons just means there are planes for them to come from. They dont depend on a religion for their existence.
    2) In an era where such possibilites have been refuted or forgotten, they'd be viewed as alien life forms, but none-the-less dangerous.

    I get the feeling from your posts here you lean toward a more "hard science" kind of sci-fi. That's fine, but certainly you can entertain other possibilites.

    I get the same feeling as well. I haven't commented a lot here, mostly because I am trying to take notes on what people do and don't want. What I am getting from this thread is that people have a respectively different picture in their mind as to what Space Opera is to them. The hard thing is going to try and appeal to the broadest cut of the audience. Me personally, I like Arthur C. Clarke's third law: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

    So how close did you all want to cleave to Pathfinder? I figured that 'A whisker's breadth' was the general consensus. One of the key aspects I am working toward was for the time-poor GM: She should be able to take the Starfinder book in one hand, any Pathfinder Adventure Module or Adventure Path in the other and do a conversion for a space opera game relatively easily. Please let me know now if that is not what people want.

    And lastly --Demons in space:Aliens and Deviltry was pretty cool in its time.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    My favorite?

    I have two.

  • Gilfane. (From Skullcrag)
  • Aalandrin. (From Sceptre of the Elvenking)


  • jmberaldo wrote:

    I'm away for these few days as I'm moving to another state, but I'll post up something about our pathfinder sci-fi setting soon just as I promised. In fact, I'll probably add in a couple of illustrations and actual game elements.

    But I'd like to ask your opinion on something.

    How do you guys see Psionics in this game? Exactly like in PXH/Psionics Unleashed? Like magic? The Force? Something completelly different? Thats one of the things we are tackling right now so your opinion is very much welcome. :)

    I have arrived at the same question myself, and I think I know which way I want to head. Because we are both pursuing a similar goal here -- João, would you mind emailing me at sagawork[dot]studios[at]gmail.com? In any case, good luck on the move and I look forward to seeing how your illustrations and elements turn out.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    Tom_Kalbfus wrote:
    Mentioned portraying spacecraft/vehicles/etc as a creature entry.

    I think that this is a good idea (because I also had it!). I see them however, purely as Constructs.


    yellowdingo wrote:
    Tom_Kalbfus wrote:

    In a Space Opera there are a number of interesting destinations which I have taken from a magazine article titled DESTINATION: Alien Stars from the January/February issue of SCIENCE ILLUSTRATED.

    ALPHA CENTAURI
    DISTANCE: 4.2 light years
    TYPE: Triple star composed of a sunlike star, a dimmer orange star and a red dwarf.
    WHY GO: Alpha Centauri is our nearest stellar neighbor. Scientists suspect it may contain Earthlike planets.

    BARNARD'S STAR
    DISTANCE: 6 Light years
    TYPE: Red dwarf
    WHY GO: Measurements indicate that there are two-medium-size planets orbiting this star--the third closest to our Sun.

    40 ERIDANI
    DISTANCE: 16 light years
    TYPE: Triple star. The A star is just slightly smaller and cooler than our sun.
    WHY GO: No planets detected yet, but this is where Star Trek creator Gene Roddenbery located Vulcan, Spock's home planet.

    GLIESE 581
    DISTANCE: 20.4 Light years
    TYPE: Single star with six planets.
    WHY GO: One of the planets orbiting Gliese 581 is in the habitable zone, where an Earth-like planet could have liquid water and support life.

    18 SCORPII
    DISTANCE: 46 Light years
    TYPE: So similar to our own sun, its sometimes called the solar twin.
    WHY GO: Small, undetected planets may be orbiting 18 Scorpii.

    How do you map the system connections?

    Maybe isometrically?


    jmberaldo wrote:

    Would you look at that... I didn't know there was so much interest in a PF space opera game.

    Looks like Eridanus Books got a new project to consider... ;)

    I'd like to toss my hat into the ring as well. I have been returning this thread often and I just cannot stay away!

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    It was a risky thing posting back in this thread and I am not sure if I have confused anyone with my second post.

    My question to Jason and Stephen stands because I think that there might be a section of Ultimate Combat that is devoted to warrior castes from different cultures. If that is the case: Samurai makes more sense. Ninja makes more sense. Even Gunslinger makes more sense. Of course, I am only assuming, but a little bit of context goes a long way :)

    So, to clarify:
    I like Samurai as it is. Bringing a swathe of options to make this class fit different types of Samurai is not something I wish to see done with what is supposed to be an alternate class to Cavalier. Also: Options that leave Samurai without a mount is in my opinion irrelevant. Please disregard those parts of my initial critique

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    Further to my last post and this one in another thread:

    Sagawork Studios wrote:
    KaeYoss wrote:
    So bring the options. Make the class fit the image of "super anime warriors". Make the class fit Rokugani samurai. Make it fit as many samurai as possible. And since all this requires is changing one class option or two here, it's very possible.
    +1

    Since my initial postings Thursday I have taken a long and hard think about why I also agreed to this. I believe that I need to recant this much, at least.

    Jason and Stephen, this is a question for you and your team:
    Would I be correct in assuming that Ninja and Samurai will appear as part of a section of culture-specific archetypes or similar?

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    KaeYoss wrote:
    So bring the options. Make the class fit the image of "super anime warriors". Make the class fit Rokugani samurai. Make it fit as many samurai as possible. And since all this requires is changing one class option or two here, it's very possible.

    +1


    seekerofshadowlight wrote:
    I do not think you should force them into full class just because the name when an archetype works. As I said,I like it as is myself.

    By presenting Samurai as an alternate class instead of an archetype eliminates the need for having to own both the Advanced Player's Guide and Ultimate Combat to play one. FWIW, I think that this is a good move on Paizo's behalf.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    Samurai was the first class I turned to purely out of personal interest with the genre. I shall try and keep this critique constructive, short and to the point.

  • The Samurai states in the last line of the 'Role' section of the class writeup that it is an alternate to the Cavalier base class. Up until that point, I had different set of expectations of the Samurai class.
    My personal preferences aside, I would suggest that the term (ALTERNATE CLASS) be printed alongside the class heading, exactly the same way as the Antipaladin alternate class is featured in the Advanced Player's Guide. This format should be applied to all alternate classes so the reader knows exactly what to expect from the class right from the outset.

  • As with cavalier, some of this class' abilities are hinged upon owning a mount, which can preclude some people from playing such a class out of preference. As such, I am sure that people would like to see (at least one) archetypes for the Samurai/Cavalier that does away with this. Again, my personal preferences aside, varying archetypes (and I do not mean additional Orders to belong to) for Samurai (and Cavalier) might appeal to people who would not normally play these classes. It also allows you to keep what you want as the main thrust of your class concept. As a point of interest; this year's superstar has two Cavalier archetypes.

  • As a side note: I think that I understand why the Samurai is written up as an alternate class as opposed to being an Archetype of Cavalier (despite them sharing a large amount of abilities). It is because it eliminates the requirement of having to own both the Advanced Player's Guide and Ultimate Combat in order to play a Samurai. This is a good design choice.

    If you need any clarification on anything I have stated here, please let me know. I am interested to see where this class goes:) Good start. Thank you for your time.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


  • I think that it is important to have a vocal audience because it helps refine an idea into a killer piece of game. That said, I will admit to being frustrated at the message-boards in trying to mine through countless posts in order to find a vein of constructive criticism.

    FWIW, I would have to set my tent in the camp of people who does not wholly like what he see coming to Ultimate Combat. I generally stay quiet about design for the most part. This is primarily because there are so many more people out there --both within Paizo and without-- that do a way better job at the designing end of the game than I do (TriOmegaZero, I am looking at you). I also signed on to support Paizo as an adventure writer, so it is in my best interest to embrace future products from Paizo and its 3PPs.

    In the end, I'll support Ultimate Magic and Ultimate Combat, regardless of how well I like the finished product.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    This archetype strikes me as leaps and bounds ahead of the other entries for this round. I especially like this concept because it is a good variation on a class that relies somewhat on a mount to do its day to day business.

    I was kinda hoping that the Hound Master may have had some access to other dog like animal companions, but given the constraints of the contest, this is something that could be tweaked at a later stage.

    Overall, this is the type of character I can see myself playing. You have my vote. Well done and I hope to see you progress to round 3 and beyond.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    andromada369 wrote:


    Sagawork you mentioned multiclassing from a commoner. What I would like to do is start off with a prolog where the skeleton is found somewhere (I'm not sure just yet.) and is a lvl 1 commoner. After the whole back story is told and the skele joins the rest of the party, s/he gets training in his chosen class (chosen at character creation) whether it be from one of the other pc's if applicable or they find someone willing to train them. After said training is done they drop the commoner class along with associated bonuses, skills, etc. and picks up capabilities etc. of chosen class. Would this be possible?

    Anything is possible at your own gaming table and I don't think that keeping or removing one level of Commoner will make much difference at higher levels. I figure you are already hand-waving the alignment requirements anyway.

    Ultimately, the only way to add new things is to try them out. If you find that your skeletal champion is affecting play in an adverse manner, you need to dial things back or remove it from play.

    Oh, one thing to consider when the skeleton champion take a level in something else might be to 'cap' hit points to d8s, in reflection of his/her undead state; that is to say if the skeleton champion take a level in Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Cavalier or (Anti-)Paladin, don't use their respective d12 and d10s, but use the d8 instead.
    (Of course, any class that has d8 or smaller hit dice, you do not need to cap it.)


    Firstly, hello and welcome to Paizo's Messageboards :)
    I do not own Ironborn of Questhaven nor any material on Warforged, so I cannot comment on those. In regards to the other questions:

    andromada369 wrote:


    Would the skeleton champion template be applied during or after character creation?

    The Skeletal Champion is an acquired template, meaning that it is applied to the 'base creature'. In your case, your 'Base Creature' is a Commoner 1. Your Commoner character is created first, then the Skeletal Champion template is applied.

    andromada369 wrote:


    I'm assuming I can ignore adding the racial hit die?

    If the Skeletal champion is designed to be a challenge for PCs of appropriate levels, I would keep the extra HD. If not, it would be at your discretion.

    But, I am guessing that this guy *might* be adventuring alongside other PCs, so -were it me- I would keep the extra in either case. Remember that Undead are destroyed at 0hp, not at -CON, like living PCs are. Not having racial Hit Dice also reduces your total BAB, as explained below.

    andromada369 wrote:


    I'm also assuming when it says BAB 3/4 of hit die it means if I've got a lvl 20 fighter his BAB is that of a lvl 15 Fighter or does that only apply to racial hit die?

    The 3/4 BAB applies to the racial Hit Die only. A Human Skeleton Champion Fighter 20 would have a BAB of +21 (+20 for twenty levels of Fighter at full progression and +1 for 2 racial Hit Dice at 3/4 progression, rounded down). To break it down using another example; the existing Skeletal Champion in the PF Bestiary has a BAB of +2 (+1 for a level of warrior at full progression and +1 for 2 racial Hit Dice at 3/4 progression rounded down). Say I wanted to make the racial Hit Dice 4 instead of 2 just to make the challenge a little tougher. The total BAB becomes +4 (+1 for a level of warrior at full progression and +3 for 4 racial Hit Dice at 3/4 progression).

    I imagine that your Skeletal Champion is going to advance as a character class, so all you need to do is use the progression appropriate to the class.

    Just to recap on what you want to do:
    1. Roll your base creature (you mentioned a Commoner)
    2. Apply the Skeletal Champion template
    3. Play/GM as normal, when it comes time to progress the Skeletal Champion in a character level, it is the same as multiclassing as described in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook.

    NOTE: I do not have my books on hand at the moment and am going from memory, so anyone spotting any glaring inconsistencies, please correct as appropriate :)


    I wanted to thank SlimGauge for picking this error up for me. Even though there is no issue with naming the module in which the error was printed, I appreciated the discretion in any case.

    For the curious, Horror at Dagger Rock may be found here, and the error is under the tactics section of the....

    Spoiler:
    Bride of Dagon, on page 48. As SlimGauge stated, the tactics entry will soon read:

    During Combat: The Bride of Dagon attacks the nearest PC with its tentacles and if it hits, attempts a grapple check as a free action. If it is successful, the Bride of Dagon drags its captive to the bottom of the pool at Part 3, Location 23A, where the unfortunate PC possibly contracts Abyssal Ascariasis and runs the risk of drowning. The Bride of Dagon then uses dimension door to ambush remaining PCs by appearing behind them.


    If SlimGauge could email me again, there is something I'd like to discuss.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    Cosmo wrote:


    I will put a replacement copy in with your next subscription shipment. Even though it sounds likely to be a printing error, please do provide pictures of the damage for our records.

    Thanks,
    cos

    As requested:

    Back of book, top left hand corner.. I have used a light source to show it a little better.

    3 pages still stuck together and evidence of what happens when you try to unstick them (shown pages are 31-36 inclusive)

    Appreciated Cos! Thank you very much :) Happy New Year, Paizo!


    Firstly, hi. Please delete the linked thread here. It is the incorrect order number for why I am writing. Sorry. It is 11:57pm here and I need my bed.

    Secondly, thank you very much for the Season's Greetings card enclosed with my copy of AP#40 Vaults of Madness! A belated seasons greetings right back to the Paizo staff and I hope you have a good new year :)

    Unfortunately, my copy of AP#40 appears damaged :(

    For want of better descriptive terms, it appears heat damaged. A largish wrinkle occupies the back corner of the book, measuring about 2 by 1 inches, and a line of wrinkles extends across the entire top of the book (which is better felt than seen, but this line is consistent with the other wrinkle). Furthermore, all pages are stuck together in that very same corner! I have tried opening the pages carefully, but each time I do, the stuck pages tear, leaving part of the facing of the previous page on the next. To explain it better, I am happy to try and provide photos if you wish, or even send it back for further examination.

    Anyways, I thought there is no harm in asking: May I please have a replacement copy of AP#40? --I would even be happy to wait until the next installment of my subscription and perhaps send both together? Please let me know. Thanks again.

    Andrew Gale


    kyrt-ryder wrote:


    The problem with this (unless there are some dramatic changes from before) is that this system isn't intended to be played alongside core. The casters are toned down (through action economy) and the martial classes get big boosts, especially at the higher levels.

    If you tried playing a PF monk next to a Kirth monk, the PF monk would probably feel SEVERAL levels (depending on the level of play. At first level it wouldn't be huge, but that gap over time will be painful) behind, because these classes are a 'rebalancing' of sorts, and the monk had the farthest to go.

    You are quite correct. I am not sure if one would play the IH classes against the vanilla 3.5 classes either --but in any case, I still think that the ideas presented here deserve some merit as Variant Player's Handbook in some capacity. This is all IMO, of course :)


    Christopher Hauschild wrote:
    I enjoy your house rules, but I noticed I was not able to open the barbarian, druid, ranger, sorcerer, and wizard files for some reason on my computer. Are you using a special program for them?

    Some of those appear to have been created with newer versions of MSWord, perhaps 2007 or a later variant. I can open them with MSword 2003 seemingly okay, but I do not have Open Office to confirm if it opens with that.

    On the OP:

    Just my first thoughts -- it is still early days for me as I read through this. I am no expert; just an adventure writer.

    There is some stuff I like here. (All I need now is a more regular game in which to playtest these...but Saint Nick didn't bring me new friends in this new town this Christmas). I'd like to see this stand alongside the actual PFRPG rules, on its own two feet. It would require tidying up a lot of the text to remove/rename the non-OGL references and class name changes so they could stand alongside the core classes...kinda like what happened with Iron Heroes for 3.5 (e.g. rename Kirth's Monk to Exemplar; Ranger to Hunter; Wizard to Arcanist, Sorcerer to Occultist, that type of thing). Just a thought.


    d20pfsrd.com wrote:


    If there is anything d20pfsrd.com can do to assist, you know my personal email :) We'd love to help in any way, from promotions, to editing assistance (the crew is extremely knowledgeable of monsters and has already helped some other publishers). Just let us know, we're ready to help if needed.

    Brilliant. I may just take you up on that offer. Thanks again.

    Andrew C Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    +1 For the MIDNIGHT Campaign Setting and the umpteen supplements they published. I am lucky enough to own them all and it still holds one of the few coveted places on my current gaming bookshelves.

    The rules I liked:

  • The bartering system.
  • The Heroic Paths and their options.
  • The Covenant Items.
  • The Orcs, Dworgs (Dwarf/Orc crossbreeds) the Elf races and the Fell.
  • The truckload of prestige classes.

    I especially liked the Heroic Paths. It worked on giving abilities (much like the PF Sorcerer bloodlines do), per character level --regardless of race or class(es) taken. Given that magic behaved differently in this setting, it gave the 3.5 classes an edge against Izrador's legion evils.

    I thought about (but I never tested) adapting the Heroic Path system in an attempt to downplay ECLs for non-core races in vanilla 3.5ed., much like taking levels of --say-- a 'minotaur' class as detailed in WotC's Savage Species. There would also have to be equivalent ones for the core races to keep things balanced, and lastly, please let me remind you that this was back in the days of 3rd and 3.5ed., so I don't know how well this would translate to PFRPG.

    All the OGC for the MIDNIGHT Campaign Setting may be found here.
    Specifically, the Heroic Paths may be found here.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS

    edit: I had a Dornish Giantblooded Defender (a monk equivalent class) in one campaign. He was 55, had a shaven head, a big walrus mustache, a tartan kilt and an oversize ogham-carved quarterstaff called Ydgrasl. Despite the heinous mashing of cultures, he was the character that made me realize that unusual character concepts are sometimes cool.


  • ....Aaaand we're back on the air.

    Yes, I must say that it has been a while since I have been around. Some of you may know that I had to make some hard decisions about delaying product releases so I could support my partner whilst she recovered from injuries sustained during a gas explosion earlier this year. The repercussions from that accident has been a costly and time-consuming exercise, requiring us to sell up, relocate 600 miles and me to find more work in order to pay living and medical expenses, but I am happy to report that she is well on the road to recovery; both physically and psychologically. We are now entering the last month of 2010 and I realize that I am well behind where I expected to be. I must apologize to everyone for that, but I also hope that everyone understands the factors that are behind it.

    Excuses aside; the buck stops with me. Especially with fixing the embarrassing error in Horror at Dagger Rock. I consider myself very lucky to have an astute audience and the support of a kind-hearted publisher like Paizo.

    I have since uploaded a new version of HaDR that is pending approval by Paizo. Being Thanksgiving, I do not expect that it will be available until the 29th of November 2010. In any case, the changes I have made include:

  • Replaced the non-OGL creature with one from Tome of Horrors 2 by Necromancer Games. The stat block is included, along with the appropriate changes to the Section 15.
  • Replaced 'Krenshar' with 'Assassin Vine' from the wandering monster table on page 9
  • Changed all instances of 'Cure Minor Wounds' to 'Stabilize'

    I am still working on Temple of the Kraken, along with a color map of Rel-Draxa. Despite the delays, work is slowly but steadily progressing. It will be worth the wait. I promise :)

    Andrew C Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


  • The explanation for Charisma as the force of someone's ability to influence others, lends itself to describe Charisma as a force of someone's personality or ego. To me, Undead use Charisma to maintain their existence and Clerics use Charisma to use Channel Energy in the same way that Use Magic Device works in PFRPG; by exerting their ego over the very thing they are attempting to control or maintain (i.e. if you really, really, really believe that it might work, it will work....pending the outcome of the dice vs the DC).

    That is why the Rogue should always have first dibs on a Holy Avenger :P Or at least not be afraid to pick it up and use it after the Paladin has fallen.


    This is a shameless *bump*, on account the thread was started during Paizocon.

    Is there a more decent/preferred/official way to express stat blocks that use (one or more) Core Class Archetypes from the Advanced Player's Guide? By looking at several books published by Paizo and riffing from fellow posters, I came up with this method, but I wanted to see if the folks at Paizo had anything that was more correct. Getting this right is important to me.


    Enevhar Aldarion wrote:

    Not a problem. :)

    But I am talking about what has been said in general for the Pathfinder rules and not just for PFS. It was posted in another very long paladin thread in the non-PFS section of the forums.

    Lol, I cannot backpedal any more than I have. Like I said, I have deleted the post to avoid confusion. This very topic came up in a discussion I was having with a friend, which is why I made my thoughts known in the first place; I wasn't aware of the longer discussions that have taken place. In any case though, my thoughts remain the same, but my opinions on the matter do not belong on this thread.


    Enevhar Aldarion wrote:

    The only problem with all of that is that in other threads both James and Josh have officially stated that a cleric must be within one step, period, no matter the axis. So a cleric of Asmodeus must be either LE, LN, or NE.

    Very true and I defer to that. Please see my previous post. I responded to the thread via the ticker and did not see that it was PFS. To avoid further confusion, I have deleted the post.


    seekerofshadowlight wrote:

    Sigh this has been done to death, ask josh put a FAQ flag on it but by the PFS guide they need to be one step and PF 29 is not on the allowed list

    But if yall want LN and LE paladins in your game cool they are not however allowed in PFS as of yet.

    Apologies, I should have read the category in which the thread was entered. I missed the PFS part entirely. That's what happens when you respond to a thread that comes up on the front page ticker.

    I have deleted my previous post.


    Lawful Good means different things to different people. Me: I always try and take the honorable and just outcome to a given situation. In roleplaying a Paladin, I try to channel the Batman. Here's a guy who wants to clean up Gotham and make it safe, but he battles his own darker side in doing so. He comes close to killing the bad guys but ends up giving them over to the authorities. I know that most games don't work like that, so I try to channel Darth Vader from Empire Strikes Back when I defeat the bad guys "You are beaten! It is useless to resist. Don't let yourself be destroyed as (Obi-Wan) your comrades did!"

    Of course, the latter action might go against the sensibilities of the greater RPG community, but it works enough for me.


    It sounds interesting what you have going. It feels like a 'Sword and Planet' type of setting, so if that is the way you are going, it might be worth looking towards Speed....er Flash Gordon for a little more inspiration. I am assuming you know who that is, but if you don't here is the wiki link. I can see each of your City Nations plotting to destroy the other in order to curry the favor of a deathless lich overlord that rules your world from the largest and most powerful of the City Nations (this lich is the last of his race and has access to vast amounts of technology and magic). Despite his formiddable armies, bountiful coffers and absolute power, he keeps the various nations of Terrafuma fighting so they don't ally and overthrow him. Granted, it is merely a cloned characterization of Ming the Merciless, but you could take it any way you wanted to.

    I think it was the tall cities in the clouds that reminded me of Flash Gordon, but it also reminded me of something else too. Something I am sure you can draw stuff from. It is called The Mysterious Explorations of Jasper Morello. Cities that stretch into the clouds...steampunk...airships....where the world beyond civilization is a savage one and a man lost can be easy prey. The video runs for about 26 minutes. You can find the main website here.


    Back in the day of 2nd Edition AD&D, there was a table in the Dungeon Master's Guide that allowed enterprising players to build their own classes from the existing abilities of the other core classes.

    I'd like to see something like that instead of more --specifically designed-- base classes.


    Research wrote:
    .... Shouldn't the sabre be pointed down?

    On a closer look, his trailing weapon is pointing down.


    Darkholme wrote:

    Well I did it like this:

    Male Elven Urban Skirmisher Ranger 8 [APG]

    That gave me the idea to do this:

    [gender] [race] [class1] [level] ([first_archetype], [subsequent_archetypes])/[class2] [level] ([first_archetype], [subsequent_archetypes]) ([book] [first_relevant_page_OR_range], [subsequent_relevant_page_OR_range])

    In action:
    AALANDRIN THE WAYWATCHER CR11
    XP 12,800

    Male elf ranger 4 (infiltrator)/rogue 8 (scout, sniper) (Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide 125-126, 134-135)
    CN Medium humanoid

    This one is long because is using three archetypes across two classes. Gripper Longshanks' stat block would be like this:

    Male halfling rogue 6 (burglar) (Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide 132)

    I guess the good thing is that the level is no longer isolated between closed and open parentheses, respectively.


    Joe Wells wrote:
    Labeling a character as an Admixturist or a Breaker will likely cause confusion.

    This outcome concerns me as well. Space for text in an adventure module is a premium and I feel that adding a capsule explaining such variances is perhaps a little indulgent. A GM should be able to just look at the stat block and say: 'Ah, that is something from the APG.' And be able to deal with it accordingly (that is, to change it to a vanilla core class or run with it as it as written).

    Hmm thinking more about it now, perhaps it might read similar to a monster entry?

    Gripper Longshanks CR5
    XP 1,600

    Male halfling burglar 6 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 132)

    I know by association that a 'burglar' may be a type of 'rogue', but I cannot chance that the reader will, even if I spend time listing in detail the the abilities 'Careful Disarm (Ex)' and 'Distraction (Ex)' within the stat block. Even this may still need a capsule explaining what to do in case the GM doesn't have access to the APG or wishes to run the normal core class instead. Argh.

    EDIT:
    Grabbing the old school Unearthed Arcana, it uses a hyphen (-) to delineate Thief from Thief-Acrobat. So maybe this?

    Gripper Longshanks CR5
    XP 1,600

    Male halfling rogue-burglar 6 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 132)

    Or even my original entry, modified for the addition of the referencing rules:

    Gripper Longshanks CR5
    XP 1,600

    Male halfling rogue (burglar) 6 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 132)

    Eesh. I am not sure if either looks right. Any more thoughts or suggestions are welcome.


    The title screams loudly that I am mostly a raving Luddite, but I believe it is a fair question and any advice Paizo and the community could pass on will be certainly appreciated. I was curious as to what the correct syntax is when displaying stat blocks that use core class archetypes (such as Barbiarian Totem Warrior or Rogue Acrobat) from the APG?

    Obviously, the key abilities of a core class archetype replace the associated abilities of the original and would be listed in due course, but what I am driving at is: What sort of indication is there to show that the following/preceding stat block of a NPC has abilities a little different from the norm?

    Perhaps something like this?

    GRIPPER LONGSHANKS CR5
    XP 1,600
    Male halfling rogue (burglar) 6

    I am assuming an awful lot, however I am keenly interested in getting it right.


    I was running Savage Tide some years ago now and one of my players --Simon wanted to play a dwarf monk. At first I balked a little bit until I saw where he was going. He had Martin Klebba's character from Pirates of the Caribbean in mind when he was rolling his character. Really, how could I say to him that a dwarf monk does not fit the genre? Simon's character --in a word-- rocked.

    That was when I realized that the term 'monk' is just a name for a generic character concept. Call him what you will; a fistfighter, a pugilist, a prize-fighter. I am not suggesting that one should compare apples to oranges, but as long as a player can find an analog to class abilities for whatever theme they desire, the character concept can fit any genre.

    Imagine a Shoanti tribesman, who lives in solitude within a cave in a mountain. He sits up here, beyond the mere barbarism of his brethren, where his long dead mentor has told him to 'be as the bear'. This Shoanti embodies a different savagery; the age old tradition of the bear-warriors. His quarterstaff is a totem pole, his dagger is the claw of a dire bear. His shuriken are merely flint shards. Scorpion Style is called Bear's Grip in the Shoanti tongue. Whenever he performs a ki strike, he unleashes the bear spirit deep within him as a bestial roar. These Shoanti Bear-Warriors call the Empty Body ability 'Walks-with-Ghosts'.

    To me, that is a monk by any other name.


    Heyya, as a fan of all thing dark and forgotten I *had* to pick this up. It was well worth the price of the PDF.


    Bumping post. The first few entries are in. Remember you have to be in it to win it.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORKSTUDIOS


    I am an April Fool. My last post on my website was on April 1st 2010 and stated that I was moving in a particular direction with my retro style Game Modules for the Pathfinder RPG. As it happens, I am running the risk of confusing my work with someone else who is tied to fantasy literature, but not RPGs per se.

    So, I want to pass the buck and make it someone else's problem.

    :) Lol. No really, I thought that this was a good opportunity to open the floor to the brains-trust that is the Pathfinder RPG community, given that its track record is good in deciding what it wants and I could use the help in steering my products. The added incentive that it is a competition. It is not much: The prize is 1x Hardcover Pathfinder GameMastery Guide which will be shipped to some lucky person at my expense. It is not my intention to use Paizo's messageboards for furthering Sagawork Studios' agenda, so I invite you to read my post's full details over at EnWorld.

    Please DO NOT post your suggestions here. Go here instead.

    Again, I invite you to take the time to read through the instructions and put your thinking caps on. I look forward to some title suggestions.

    Andrew Gale
    SAGAWORK STUDIOS


    Umbral Reaver wrote:
    But after discussing this with a few people (not my players, since I intend such things to remain secret until they discover things), I've generally found that they dislike it, saying it's too 'WoWish' or that the science fiction elements cheapen the fantasy. I've never played WoW so I don't really know much about how that relates.

    I may jump from topic to topic, so please bear with me while I try to keep this reply on course.

    The reference to World of Warcraft is simply with your ship breaking up over the planet. Within WoW's first expansion (Burning Crusade) a planar ship from Draenor comes through the twisting nether into Azeroth (the main world of WoW). The ship breaks up and crashes, scattering its ruinous expanse across the world, particularly in NE Kalimdor. The ship's inhabitants --the Draenei-- eventually join the alliance.

    That is where your friends are drawing their parallels.

    In actual fact, craft crashing over pseudo medieval world (effectively melding of science fiction and fantasy RPG elements) is a tried-and-true combination, having been used a number of times since the inception of D&D. Two examples include:

    1. Expedition to the Barrier Peaks
    2. Warhammer Fantasy Battles (read the part about 'The Warhammer World')

    Just on melding science-fiction technology and fantasy as a whole; there are also a number of novels that deal with it. To me, none stand out more than a lot of David Gemmell's Drenai Saga. David Gemmell is superb at describing technological legacies in a sword and sorcery fueled milieu. Without giving too much away, I must insist that you read the Swords of Night and Day, for those descriptions alone. You could use those same descriptive tools to flavor your creation. (As a fan of his work, I want you to get the most out of it as a great story, so I tentatively cringe having to tell you that you would do well reading Legend, The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend, Legend of Deathwalker, King Beyond the Gate, Waylander, Waylander II/Realm of the Wolf, Hero in the Shadows, White Wolf --and maybe Morningstar and Knights of Dark Renown as well-- in order to get the most out of it.)

    Further reading of David Gemmell's work also include Wolf in Shadow, Last Guardian and Bloodstone. These books deal with time travel and alternate timelines.

    Science Fiction does not cheapen fantasy at all, in my opinion. Handled correctly, it can add an interesting dimension for your players to discover.

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